Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association UAE to launch at Abu Dhabi Air Expo

Next week’s first Abu Dhabi Air Expo will play host to the inauguration of the newly formed Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association in the United Arab Emirates. The launch of the new division of the international association will take place during the show 6th to 8th March. A launch ceremony will be held on March 6th during the general assembly at the Gulf Centre for Aviation Studies, GCAS, located at Al Bateen Executive Airport.

Craig Fuller, President of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association USA, (AOPA USA and the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations (IAOPA) and Bruce Landsberg, President of the AOPA Safety Foundation will officially recognize the new UAE branch, which will be the 70th local AOPA to join the IAOPA.

AOPA UAE, will be led Al Bateen’s Deputy General Manager Yousif Al Hammadi. As its first President Hammadi will work to unite pilots, owners and operators of General Aviation aircraft based in the Emirates. As in the other 69 nations, AOPA UAE will represent aircraft owners and pilots. The UAE branch will also promote General Aviation as an efficient means of personal transportation. Equally, it will encourage young enthusiasts to become pilots and facilitate ease of access to airspace, airports and international travel.

Yousif Al Hammadi has worked all his life in the aviation sector, is well known and highly respected internationally. He is also the President of Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) UAE an association that organizes the Dubai Skydiving Championship and organizer of the bi-annual World Parachuting Championships. In addition, Yousif is the representative for the Emirates for IFATCA, the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers.

The International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations (IAOPA) is a nonprofit federation of 69 autonomous, non-governmental, national general aviation organizations around the world. IAOPA has represented international general aviation for nearly 50 years and serves a combined total of 470,000 pilot members worldwide who fly general aviation aircraft for business and personal use.

Mr. Yousif Al Hammadi, Craig Fuller and Bruce Landsberg will be available for interviews during the show.